Paul Haggis to Be Honored at Nantucket Film Festival

Academy Award-winning director Paul Haggis will be honored at this year’s 16th annual Nantucket Film Festival with the yearly screenwriting tribute.

“Mr. Haggis’ films and television projects have given us a wide array of tales spanning over two decades, said artistic director Mystells Brabbee. “His work has run the gamut from intrigue to thrilling to heartbreaking, and we are thrilled to present him with our screenwriting tribute this year.”

In addition, the festival unveiled its lineup on Wednesday. Disney/Pixar’s Cars 2, directed by John Lasseter and written by Ben Queen, will open the festival. Queen will receive the New Voices in Screenwriting honor.

Sundance winner Buck, a documentary about the life of famed horse trainer Buck Brannman, is the fest’s second opening night film. Closing the festival is Source Code star Vera Farmiga’s directorial debut Higher Ground, in which she also stars.

The rest of the films that will be screened at the fest include: Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey; Benavides Born; Beyond the Road; Bobby Fischer Against the World; Circumstance; Connected; Donor Unknown; Five Days Gone; Granito; Happy, Happy; Hot Coffee; The Last Rites of Joe May; Life in a Day; The Lie; Mia and the Migoo; Mozart’s Sister; The Names of Love; Nantucket by Nature; On the Ice; One Lucky Elephant; The Other F Word; Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times; Senna; Submarine; Terri; To be Heard; Tyrannosaur; Unraveled; We Still Live Here: As Nutayunean; and When the Drum is Beating.

For this year’s festival, emphasis will be placed on education, with it hosting a mentor brunch will take place with Haggis attending.